Strong Medicine (87 page)

Celia to Heathrow airport.

442

EPILOGUE

In the 747's first-class section the trappings of luncheon had been

cleared away. Andrew, after leaving his seat briefly, returned.

He told Celia, "I was thinking in there"-he waved a hand in the direction

of the airplane's toilets-"how we take so many things for granted. When

Lindbergh made the first successful transatlantic flight, which isn't all

that long ago, he had to stay in his seat and urinate into a flask."

Celia laughed. "I'm glad that much has changed." She regarded her husband

quizzically. "Is that all? I sense some philosophy aborning."

"You're right. I've been thinking about your business-pharmaceuticals.

I had a thought or two you might find cheering."

"I could use a little of that."

"People like you, hemmed in by pressures," Andrew said, "get so close to

what you're doing that there are times-and I think this is one-when

you're apt to see the storm clouds only, and forget the rainbows."

"Remind me of some rainbows."

"That's easy. You brought one to me when our life together started.

Lotromycin. It's still in place, as good a drug as when you let me be the

first to use it--effective, lifesaving, needed in a doctor's toolbox. Of

course, no one talks about Lotromycin anymoreit isn't news; it's been

around too long. But add it to others from then onward and you have a

cornucopia of drugs, so many of them

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since the 1950s that medicine's undergone a revolution. I've lived through

it, seen it happen."

Andrew considered, then went on, "When I graduated in medicine seven years

after World War 11, most of the time when we had sick patients all you

could do was provide support, then stand aside and hope. There were so many

diseases which doctors had no weapons to fight, it used to be frustrating.

Now that isn't true. There's a whole arsenal of drugs to fight with and to

cure. Your industry provided them."

:.I I m hearing music," Celia said. "Play more."

'Okay, take hypertension. Twenty years ago there were a few, limited ways

to treat it. Often they didn't work. Lots of times hypertension was a

killer. Now, treatment through drugs is unlimited and sure. The incidence

of stroke, which hypertension caused, is down by half, and dropping. Drugs

are preventing heart attacks. They've stopped tuberculosis and ulcers,

improved the diabetic patient's life. In every other field of medicine the

same is true. So many good drugs. I prescribe them every day."

"Name some."

He rattled them off. "Corgard, Procardia, Indocin, Orinase, Thorazine,

Tagamet, Lasix, Tofranil, Apresoline, Staidpace, Mandol, Prednisone,

Levodopa, Cytoxan, Isoniazid, Peptide 7." Andrew stopped. "You want more?"

'That should hold us," Celia said. "And the point you're making9l,

6

"The point is that the successful, useful drugs outnumber losers. For every

loser-Thalidomide, Selacryn, Montayne, Oraflex, Bendectin; those and t1te

other few failures you bear about on TV news and '60 Minutes'-there have

been a hundred winners. And it isn't just the pharmaceutical companies who

are gainers. The big winners are people-those who have health instead of

sickness, those who live instead of die."

Andrew mused, then added, "If I were making a speech, which I suppose I am

to an audience of one, I'd say that what your industry has done, my

love-with all its faults, despite its critics-is provide a benefaction for

mankind."

Stop there!" Celia said. "That was, so beautiful, so right, anything more

might spoil it. You have cheered me." She smiled. "Now I'm going to close

my eyes and think."

She did.

444

Ten minutes later, opening her eyes, Celia said, "Andrew dear, there are

things I want to say." She paused. "You've been many things to me; now

you're my confessor. First, I am responsible for those bad events with

Hexin W. In my mind there isn't any doubt. If I'd acted sooner some deaths

might not have happened. I didn't ask tough questions when I ought. I took

for granted what my own experience should have warned me not to. I became

heady, a little drunk with power and success-so buoyed by Peptide 7, then

Hexin W, that I overlooked the obvious. In a way, it was part of what

happened with Sam about Montayne. I understand that better now."

He said, "I hope you don't intend to say all that in court."

Celia shook her head. "I'd be foolish if I did. I've already said that if

I'm indicted, brought to court, I'll fight. But I needed to admit my guilt

to someone, which is why I'm telling you."

"And Vince Lord-if he's indicted too?"

"We'll give him legal help. I've decided that. But otherwise he'll take his

chances."

Andrew said gently, "Despite everything you've told me-and I agree that

most is true--don't be too hard on yourself You're human like the rest of

us. No one has a perfect record. Yours is better than most. "

"Not good enough, though. But I know I can do better, and an experience

like this one helps." Celia's voice had regained her old, crisp

matter-of-factness. "Those are reasons I want to go on, and why I intend

to. I'm only fifty-three. There's a lot more I can do at Felding-Roth."

"And you will," he said. "The way you always have."

There was a silence. Then after a while, when he looked sideways, he saw

that Celia had closed her eyes once more and was asleep.

She slept until the flight was losing altitude for landing. Awakening, she

touched Andrew's arm. He turned to face her.

"Thank you, my dearest," Celia said. "Thank you for everything." She

smiled. "I've thought some more, and I've made up my mind. Whatever

happens, I'm coming through. I'm going to win."

Andrew said nothing-just took her hand. He was still holding it when they

landed at New York.

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